This invention relates to a communication system for alerting a person of an impending or occurring disaster or other emergency.
When a disaster or other emergency threatens a community, it is important for the officials of the community to alert the people in the area about the impending or occurring emergency and to instruct them of the nature of the event as well as with instructions as to how to avoid personal injury and damage to personal property.
For example, in the event of an impending severe storm or forest fire that is expected to sweep through a community, the local radio and television stations typically broadcast a forecast so as to alert its listeners. While this system is likely to be successful for the majority of the inhabitants of a community, there are others that remain unreachable and must rely upon some other form of communication, such as person-to-person communication, to be alerted to the situation.
The communication of an emergency to the unsuspecting public is particularly difficult in an after-hours situation in which most inhabitants are asleep. The radio and television communication facilities in the typical household usually are cut off and, therefore, not available for communication to the inhabitants of the household. In some instances, the inhabitants of a household are handicapped by poor vision or poor hearing and are not likely to be alerted by conventional communication facilities at any time of a 24-hour day.
Accordingly, there is a need for an effective way for responsible news agencies such as radio and television stations, weather authorities and government officials to disseminate information and instructions to the public in times of local or national emergency, or in the event of a disaster. While the ability to broadcast instantly from radio and television facilities has been available for many years, a problem arises when attempting to reach those that are not tuned in to the communication facilities. Accordingly, there is a need to draw the attention of the inattentive or partially handicapped person to the emergency broadcast.
Another situation is when a power failure or xe2x80x9cblack outxe2x80x9d strikes a community. During an emergency or disaster situation, it is important that the usual emergency communications be maintained to the inhabitants of the community, even though the typical radio or television set is disabled. This is important not only for the physical safety but for the emotional response of the inhabitants to the emergency situation. In the event of a disaster such as an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, flood or fire in a community, it is desirable that the inhabitants be informed as early as possible that the disaster is imminent, informing the public of the safety procedures that might be taken at the household to protect the inhabitants and the property within the household, and to inform the inhabitants of the community of evacuation routes and procedures.
In addition to notification of impending and existing emergencies by radio, video images can provide visual details of the emergency condition, evacuation routes, oncoming adverse conditions and safety procedures. Visual display can serve citizens who are hearing impaired, enabling them to see exactly what the conditions are and what precautions and actions are best advised by the civil authorities.
Thus, there is a need for providing an alert system to establish communications from the television and radio broadcast services to the unknowing public in the event of an impending or occurring natural disaster or other emergency situation. By alerting the unknowing person to direct his or her attention to the radio/television broadcast, the information from the broadcast system can provide the emergency procedures, the information for avoidance and safety and evacuation from the vicinity.
Briefly described, the present invention comprises an improved alert system for establishing communications between a public or other broadcast facility and individuals in the event of hazardous, dangerous or other emergency situations that are impending or occurring. The invention includes, in various combinations, a lamp, a radio, a clock, a television, jacks for auxiliary speakers and other jack-connected auxiliary items, and a plug receptacle for supplying power to other auxiliary attachments desired by the owner of the system. Such auxiliary attachments can include a flashing light apparatus, a vibrator, a siren, a video monitor, and actuators for operating doors, windows, shutters and other safety structures about a building. In addition, the system can include a timer for de-actuating the system after a predetermined period, to avoid depletion of energy from batteries and to terminate the active condition when the owner is not present and avoid disturbance of others over a prolonged period.